The Sun is Falling!
Characters: Gracie Grouse, Myrtle Turtle, Honeybee, Rosie Raspberry, Benjy Bear.
Gracie Grouse Squawk, squawk! Look out, look out! The sun is falling! The sun is falling!
Myrtle Turtle: The sun is falling? How do you know, Gracie Grouse?
Grouse How do I know? Why, it was high up above my head just a little while ago. And now look, it’s halfway down the sky. It must be falling down!
Turtle Yikes! I need the sun to warm me up. We cold-blooded animals can’t make our own body heat the way you birds do. Without the sun, I’d be just a cold bump on a log!
Grouse Well we birds need the sun too. Without any sun, it’d be too cold for any animals. You’d better soak it up while you can, Myrtle Turtle. I’m going to tell Benjy Bear. He’s strong. Maybe he can push it back up into the sky.
Turtle Good idea. You go ahead. You’re faster than me, so I’ll wait here. Good luck! (both exit)
Grouse Squawk, look out! The sun is falling! The sun is falling!
Heidi Honeybee The sun is falling? How can that buzz buzz beeeee?
Grouse Just look! It was halfway down the sky a little while ago. And now it’s even lower and nearly touching the treetops.
Honeybee: Oh no! We beezzz need the sun! The sun’s rays give us light so we can see where we’re going. To us, it’s the bee’s knees!
Grouse Well, I need it to see, too! It’ll be completely dark when the sun is gone!
Honeybee If it’s dark, we won’t beeee able to find flowers and gather nectar. Without nectar, we can’t make any honey to eat!
Grouse Well, don’t worry. I’m going to find Benjy Bear to push it back up.
Honeybee Good idea! I’d better buzz over to those flowers and fill up with nectar while I still can. Buzz, buzz, bye! (both exit)
Grouse Squawk, look out! The sun is falling! The sun is falling!
Raspberry Hi, Gracie Grouse. What do you mean the sun is falling?
Grouse Just look at it. The sun was touching the treetops a while ago, and now it’s so low, it’s just above those mountains.
Raspberry You’re right, it is low! And it’s getting cooler. We plants need sunlight! We need the sun’s energy to make leaves and flowers and berries, and nectar for bees.
Grouse Without the sun, there’d be no plants, and without plants, there’d be no food for animals.
Raspberry And without sun, there’d be no rain either. The sun warms the water that makes the clouds that give us rain. No sun – no rain – no plants – no animals!
Grouse This is serious! I’m going to find Benjy Bear to see if he can push the sun back up in the sky.
Raspberry Good idea. With these ripe berries of mine, Benjy won’t be far away. (exits)
Grouse Squawk, look out! The sun is falling! The sun is falling!
Benjy Bear Hi, Gracie Grouse. What do you mean the sun is falling?
Grouse See how low it is? It’s going to fall behind the mountains in no time.
Bear Gee, that’s too bad. I like taking naps in the warm sun.
Grouse Quick, Benjy. You’re strong. Can you push it back up in the sky?
Bear Well, I could try. I could climb a tree to get closer…Oh no! Look! We’re too late!
Grouse There it goes. Goodbye, Sun!
Bear Goodbye, Sun! Gosh, what’ll we do now? No more sun.
Grouse No, but look at the pretty sky.
Bear It is pretty. Red, orange, pink, yellow. It’s even better than yesterday’s sunset.
Grouse Yes, even prettier than yesterday.
Bear Yesterday? Hey, wait a minute, Gracie Grouse. The sun went down yesterday, too! I don’t think the sun is falling. I think it goes behind those mountains every night.
Grouse Why, you know, I think you’re right. It does! And it comes up over there (pointing) every morning!
Bear Yup! That just dawned on me, too.
Grouse But how can the sun go down on one side of us and come up on another?
Bear Hmm. I’ve heard it’s because the Earth is rotating – turning like a top. In the daytime, our side is facing the sun, but at night we’re on the back side, away from the sun. Phew! Makes my head spin!
Grouse I think you’re right, Benjy. Gee, you are a smart bear!
Bear Gosh, thanks. No one’s ever said that about me before. I guess I have a real flare for solar science!
Grouse You sure do. I’m glad the sun isn’t falling – so we can have daytime for feeding and nighttime for roosting.
Benjy And warm sun for a nap
Grouse And light to find our way.
Bear And don’t forget, it gives us energy so plants can grow and make us food.
Grouse The sun sure is important. We couldn’t live without it!
Bear Yup, the sun’s a real Star!
Grouse Hey, let’s have a party to celebrate the sun. We can invite everyone over for ice cream sundaes!
Bear Mmm, I like that idea! I love sunny days and I love ice cream sundaes.
Grouse Me too!
THE END
Nearby Nature 